Aches
by agentbreezy
Summary: Awful headaches, along with back and neck pain drive Regina to seek help from Archie. But the sessions are helping in the slightest. So Regina heads to Tallahassee, home of the nation's leading neurological expert, to get rid of this nettlesome problem. There she meets one of his nurses, a Miss Emma Swan.
1. Chapter 1

**Reviews- and constructive criticism- are greatly appreciated. Just don't be too harsh- I'll melt into a puddle of goo and have to be scooped up and- okay maybe I'm overdoing it but, just be nice :) **

**As always, hope you enjoy! **

**AB**

* * *

**TALLAHASSEE **

"This psychotherapy doesn't seem to be working, Mayor Mills," Dr. Hopper said, his voice a little raspy with fear. Regina rubbed her slender hands over her tired face. She was reclined on her back, legs crossed at the ankle on Archie Hopper's couch, and his hands were hovering by her temples. "I think you should see a specialist," he suggested, to which Regina threw her hands down by her sides and shot him an upside-down glare that would have seemed silly if it were from anyone else but the Mayor. He quickly retracted his hands as if she would bite them off.

Regina loathed this whole situation. She only went to Archie in the first place when she had to end a council meeting early due to an excruciating headache (and because she knew he wouldn't let anyone know about her condition). That was precisely why she wouldn't go to the hospital to get cat scans.

Archie had suggested them, concerned, but she didn't need anyone's concern.

And she would find a specialist far away from here and use the excuse of "business."

"Very well then, I'll send you the payment for this session," she said, storming out of the office without asking Archie if he had any recommendations- she could find someone herself.

Finding only the nation's leading neurological specialist sufficient, she booked a flight to Tallahassee and set up plans with Kathryn and David to watch Henry while she was gone. She hated leaving him, but he would probably enjoy himself immensely with how much he had been pulling away lately. She didn't quite know what set the new hostile feelings off but she would get to the bottom of it as soon as this nettlesome problem was eradicated.

Regina spent the few hours in the plane signing papers and reviewing meeting notes, and though she would never tell anyone- looking through photos of Henry on her laptop.

She was grateful when the plane touched down- she felt a headache coming on and she wanted to get a good amount of rest in before her appointment tomorrow.

Arriving at her hotel room, she directed the bell boys to drop her bags near the large dresser as she pulled off her black heels, sighing inaudibly as her feet sunk into the plush carpet. When the door closed behind them- after Regina had dismissed them with a "that will be all"- she headed to the bathroom to take off her makeup and enjoy a hot shower.

The dark half-circles under her eyes became visible as she scrubbed off her concealer. Angry, Regina turned away from the mirror and twisted the shower's temperature knob to the hottest it would go. As she stepped under the scorching stream, she sighed aloud, the soft sound echoing off of the tiles. This was the only thing that could relax away a little of the headache, and the burning of her now-reddish skin distracted from the awful pain in her head.

Regina pulled on some pajamas worn soft from frequent wear and climbed into the luxurious bed, laying down with her hand cradling her cheek. She felt wetness and angrily wiped at her eyes. The pain of her headache- or so she would say that was what it was- kept her up longer than she liked.

* * *

"Regina Mills?"

Regina looped her arm through her handbag resting on the chair beside her and slid it up to her shoulder. A superficially pretty blonde nurse was holding open the door for her. Regina sauntered to the door, thanking her and propping the door open herself with a strong hand. The woman let go of the door and started down the hall. Regina followed, and knowing she wasn't being watched, her eyes were unconsciously cast downward.

"Right in here," the nurse said, indicating for Regina to enter the small, sterile room. "Just take a seat right there," The blonde woman said, pointing with a pen at the cushioned bench offset from the wall."I'm Emma Swan," she said, sticking out her hand for a shake.

Regina grasped it firmly, "May- Miss Mills," she responded.

"Yes, Regina Mills," Emma peered through the bottom of her glasses at the clipboard she held. Emma asked Regina a few cursory and boring questions and found herself captivated by the brunette's smoldering brown eyes. It was obvious she wasn't happy to be here.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it," Emma said when she was finished, and she placed the clipboard near a laptop on the counter. She didn't catch Regina's frown at her back.

"_You'd bette_r," Regina thought.

Regina had noticed it earlier but she allowed herself to openly examine the tightness of the material Miss Swan was wearing. Regina wondered how she even got her scrubs on. She rose an eyebrow, wondering why Emma felt the need to show off her- assets.

"I've got an idea of where the headaches are coming from but I'm gonna need to you to take off your shirt and bra and put this on," Emma handed her a gown. Regina rolled her eyes. She hated putting those things on, they made her look ridiculous.

"Well? Do I have to get changed in front of you?" she said snarkily to the younger woman, fixing her with a glare.

"Right, yes, I'll be right back!" Emma said, and swiftly left the room. Regina mused that Emma must be new.

As Regina unbuttoned her blue silk shirt, she found herself thinking about how the obvious bottle-blonde actually looked good with the color change. She was brunette before, Regina gathered that from the color of the woman's eyebrows just visible above the black rim of her glasses. She looked- dare she say- sexy in them.

She furiously shook her head and reached behind her to unclasp her bra. She slid it down her arms and dropped it down beside her on top of her neatly folded shirt. She gingerly picked up the gown, growing increasingly irritated as she pulled it on and tied it at her neck.

Why was she here?

_Because she was having headaches. _

_Right. _

Tying another tie at the base of her back and leaving the rest open, Regina folded her hands on her lap and waited.

And waited.

_Where the hell was the nurse?_

Regina got up to peek into the hallway.

Just then, Emma Swan returned, and the force of both of them simultaneously opening the door briskly sent her flying towards Regina. Regina's hands landed on Emma's collarbones, Emma's gripping Regina's shoulders.

"Sorry," they both muttered.

"Quite alright," Regina said, as Emma said at the same time, "S'okay."

Emma turned to close the door, missing Regina touching her shoulder. It was burning hot all of the sudden.

Was that just her imagination?

Regina quickly proceeded back toward the bench and sat down, swinging her legs unconsciously. Emma noticed, and smiled a bit- a flash of white- the sight making Regina's stomach flutter.

_What the hell is wrong with me? _

Regina's breathing increased as Emma advanced toward her. "Could you tilt your head back a bit?" Regina's eyes widened ever so minutely in confusion.

"I just wanna check your glands," Emma said with another tiny smirk.

Regina nodded, and tried not to swallow with nervousness as Emma touched her neck.

"All good," Emma said, and to Regina's surprise her voice cracked slightly.

Regina smirked now, thinking she might also be having an effect on this woman.

"Can you tell me precisely where your headaches are?" Regina indicated the place on her head with a slender figure. Emma reached out, lightly touching Regina's cranium. "Here?"

"Yes," Regina breathed, inhaling through her nose and catching a strong scent of pomegranate. Her eyes drifted to the sink, where she saw a foaming soap of that scent.

She wondered if Emma favored the smell or if that was just the kind provided. Then she silently berated herself for caring.

"Mmm," Emma said, still maintaining a feather-light touch on Regina's head, "Alright I'm going to say based on the symptoms and your answers it's not anything serious, but before you leave we'll do a cat scan just to be sure," Emma said, retracting her hand.

"Where's Dr. Griffith?" Regina questioned, wondering why she had not yet seen the man she came here for.

Emma rubbed her hand on the back of her neck. "He gets very busy with more serious cases. His nurses are trained to detect those and then you're deferred to him. But otherwise, we pretty much make a diagnosis and he dishes the prescriptions out." Regina frowned. This was not what she had expected.

And Regina Mills was rarely if ever surprised.

But she had to admit Miss Swan was more aesthetically pleasing than Dr. Griffith judging by the awkward picture gracing his website's home page.

_Especially the way her pants stretched over_- Regina shook her head and focused on Miss Swan's ponytail, swaying slightly from her recent movement as she bent slightly over the sink and examined the notes she took.

"I'm going to say these headaches, and the back and neck pain, are due to stress," Emma said, turning around to face Regina, her arms crossed non-aggressively over her chest.

Regina's head tilted slightly to the side in contemplation. The facts began flooding into her head.

She was the mayor of a town of a few thousand people.

She had a young son.

A lot of people weren't very fond of her.

Oh and she was the Evil Queen who had cursed an entire world to this one in her rage at the woman who took away her true love.

She did have a lot on her plate...

"I'm going to try to get some of the tension out of your neck and back. Do you want to lie down on your stomach?" Regina complied, eager for a massage. She hadn't had one since back when she reigned.

At the first touch of Emma's warm and strong hands on Regina's back, Regina had to resist the urge to gasp. Emma began at Regina's neck, kneading firmly, now eliciting a gasp out of Regina.

"Does that hurt?" Emma asked, stopping her massage and resting her hands on Regina's neck.

"Mm, no, it's uh- it hurts a bit but- it feels good," Regina bit her lip, glaring at a random black speck in the white tile below her, feeling her face grow red at the how ludicrous she just sounded. Emma responded kindly, "Good, that's how it's supposed to feel," as she continued her ministrations, pulling more quiet sounds of bliss out of the dark-haired woman beneath her.

Emma slowly descended down Regina's back, erasing the knots and chasing the aches away with muscular hands.

Regina was nearly put to sleep she had become so relaxed, stirring groggily when Emma ran the heels of her hands once more up the length of Regina's back and said, "All done, how d'you feel?"

Regina sat up, brushing her hair behind her delicate ears, "Absolutely wonderful."

Emma's smile lit up her face; she loved easing people's pain. "Great, you can come back in a few days in case your body tenses up again. But in the mean time, I think you should do something physical. You said you don't really do much in regards to working out besides the treadmill?" Emma's eyes slid quickly over the other woman's body, completely baffled as to how she kept it- in such a _favorable_ condition, "I think you need an outlet for that stress."

For some reason this statement she made to many a patient felt different with the woman in front of her.

Regina noticed the once-over the blonde had given her, and the nervous inflection in her voice at the word outlet. She smirked.

"And what do you suggest?" Regina drawled.

Emma swallowed hard.

"Kickboxing's always good," she offered, regaining her composure.

Regina considered that for a moment. Beating the hell out of a punching bag or a person (though most likely donned with protective padding) sounded good. She could pretend it was a certain someone too. And then, without meaning to, she became very vulnerable in front of this Ms. Swan.

"Would you- mind coming with me?" she asked with what hoped was one of her charming smiles, "I mean, I live far away from Tallahassee, it would- be nice to have a companion from around here..."


	2. Chapter 2

Emma's eyes drop to the floor and her hand to the nape of her neck. "Miss Mills, I-"

Regina clasped her hands together. She wasn't going to say anything. She wasn't going to say please. She was used to being alone.

She'd survived these years alone.

She could deal with a few kickboxing classes.

Emma's eyes traveled to the wall behind Regina's head and then finally met Regina's chestnut orbs. Her face was composed, her dazzling smile not faltering, but Emma could see the uncertainty, the desperation swirling around in her honey-brown eyes.

"I can't," Emma's hands went into her pockets and Regina's smile finally flickered, "until this weekend," Emma finished.

Regina's full-blown smile made Emma's stomach flutter, "Right, well, that's just fine. I'm sure I can't find something to occupy my time until then."

"Great. So," Emma turned to the sink and scribbled something on a sticky note, "here's my number, call me when you find a place? I like to sleep late on Saturdays so maybe wait until like, I don't know, ten to call?" Emma gave Regina a sheepish grin.

* * *

"Good morning Miss Swan!"

"Ugh, Regina, it's," Regina heard some fumbling on Emma's end of the line as Emma's hand searched for her alarm clock, "it's eight-thirty!"

"Indeed. I'm glad to know you can tell time," Regina's playfulness shook Emma a bit, but she decided to play along.

"Only from digital clocks, not those analog ones."

"That's rather unfortunate. Now I've-"

Emma cut her off, "Remember when this conversation started and I stated, with quite some irritation, that it was eight-thirty?"

"Yes, that is the time give or take a few minutes-"

"Yeah well, what I really meant was why the hell are you calling me so early when I told you I slept 'til ten!"

"You told me that, yes," Regina smirked, almost able to picture Miss Swan with sleep-frumpy blonde hair and frustration growing by the second.

"Well, common courtesy- you know what, nevermind, I'm up now," Emma said grumpily, "I'm assuming you found a place?"

* * *

Emma crawled her bug through the parking lot of the kickboxing studio, keeping an eye out for Regina Mills. She spotted her, sitting regally on a bench near the door, head bent over her phone. Her short, luxurious hair was half pulled back and Emma let out a nervous breath upon seeing her outfit.

Even from the distance Emma could tell Regina's workout clothes were expensive. Emma looked down at herself after pulling in a parking spot away from the building. Her workout clothes- if they could even be called that- were comprised of a pair of running shorts handed down by the Dr.'s daughter when she had moved onto golf as a hobby with her father, and a volleyball t-shirt Emma still had from her high school days. It was one of the only possessions Emma still kept around, and it was a little tight. But it was all she had.

Emma was unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of said shirt when she approached Regina, who was studiously staring at her phone with a frown. Emma found herself admiring the brunette's beauty when she was caught looking by Regina who shoved her phone in her purse. She started and Emma realized her close proximity to the woman she barely knew but was taking kickboxing lessons with.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," Emma said with an uncharacteristic gentleness, relieved to see the frown fading from Regina's face. She wondered what had put it there in the first place.

And then her face scrunched slightly in worry. Should she be doing this? And with a patient? Why did she care about the frown on this woman's face?

But she was here and she couldn't back down now.

* * *

"Come on, go for it, channel your anger into the punches!" Her male coach yells. She's been distracted by Regina, punching away next to her, her biceps rippling with each contact of her fist to her instructor's hands. She certainly looked angry- almost feind-like, but in a very sexy way.

No, God, Emma don't go there.

It's not hard to find the anger, and Emma feels something building in her chests that erupts from her mouth as a growl. The male coach's face lights up and she attacks him with a new fervor, forgetting about the brunette woman next to her and getting lost in the sound of the hard, alternating thunks her tight fists are making.

"Time for some round-house kicks!"

About a half-hour later, the group gathers near the rings. Emma finds Regina, standing a bit apart from the group, arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Emma's mouth pulls down at this, and she walks determined to the brunette. Regina looks startled at the sight of Emma gliding on long legs toward her, as if she has gotten as lost in the class as Emma has. But her face then lights up, much against her will.

"Hey," Emma says a bit breathlessly, and she hopes that's due to the workout and not the glistening woman before her, "how are you doing?"

Regina considers the question for a moment. Her headache is there, but dull, and easy to ignore as she's working out.

"Good," Emma can hear the disbelief in her voice.

"Good," Emma replies, and the women share a smile. Emma tries to ignore the fluttering in her stomach and takes a swig of her water.

One of the coaches hops up into the center ring and grasps the top rope, leaning over the small crowd beneath him. "Ready to use some of your skills?" he calls. Emma's stomach drops.

She knows what he's going to say before the words leave his mouth.

"We're going to have some one-on-one!"


	3. Chapter 3

Haven't-er-disclaimed (is that a word?) this story yet so.. yeah don't own dese ladays.

And sorry it's been forever since I've updated- been out of my writing element lately. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**THREE: BODILY INJURY**

The emotion that floods Emma's face is pure tenacity. Like if someone wants her to get in that ring and fight they'll have to fight her first. No way she was getting into that ring to be observed and catcalled at.

And then, Emma makes the mistake of looking at Regina. And she knows there's no way she's getting out of this.

There's something methodical about the way Regina runs her eyes over her body. Like she's assessing every visible muscle, scouring for weaknesses. And it makes Emma's blood run cold.

This woman is going to beat the shit out of her.

She doesn't really register the feeling of Regina's slender but strong arm slipping under hers when the instructor yells, "Pair up!" She doesn't remember the fights, who loses, who wins. All she feels is dread- something bad is about to go down. And when it's finally their turn, and the instructor pats her on the back and says, "Don't hurt her too bad, alright?" she knows she has every intention to do just that- not hurt this flawless woman.

_Just take a few good hits, Swan_, she thinks as she tries to shake the numbness away by jumping up and down a few times.

Regina is eyeing her almost ferally from the opposite corner of the ring, and it's incredibly sexy but extremely intimidating.

Emma takes this opportunity to assess the other woman. She definitely has her strength, but she's not built of the lean muscle Emma is. Her body is all sinuous curves, and not hard lines. _The only tactic that she might have would be evasion rather than attack_, Emma thinks.

But she won't have to work real hard at evading, Emma decides as the bell chimes. This is just going to be a friendly fight between two- acquaintances?

Regina starts to circle her, and Emma mirrors her movements, a lump forming in her throat. She swipes out with a feeble right hook, trying to make it look like she's put some power behind it by flexing her muscles. But Regina's having none of it.

"Dear, don't look so scared, I'm won't bite," she mocks.

Emma shakes off the insult and deflects a punch. _Damn_, Regina's packs some hidden heat.

The two seem to be playing a game, Emma blocking angry blows while she delivers weak ones in return. And with every parry, Regina's face becomes harder.

"Don't go easy on me, Ms. Swan. No one ever has," she spits.

The truth rings in Emma's ears even if she doesn't know this woman that well. She feels an overwhelming rush of empathy, but Regina interprets the small frown that pulls down her mouth as pity. A cold fury sweeps across her face and Emma's so caught up in finding a kindred spirit she's too late to block the blow.

A small "oomph" escapes from Emma's mouth as Regina's fist smashes into her guts.

"Fight damnit," Regina whispers as Emma, with difficulty straightens up. "Unless you don't know how to do that," she sneers.

It's so spot on that it shakes Emma to her core.

It's like this woman knows that the nurse garb she dons every day is just a joke.

Just a handout from the only person who's ever given a shit about Emma's life.

Someone who picked Emma up because she was homeless and living in her car and he took pity on her- somehow ended up liking her.

Emma hasn't really fought her whole life. Because why fight for yourself when you don't really matter? Fuck, her own parents didn't think she mattered.

Emma Swan was a nobody.

She's not really sure what happened when she hears a sharp cry. And then she sees a brunette crumple in front of her.

The anger leaves her immediately as she sees the blood flooding from Regina's mouth, already down her neck and staining her shirt. She split the damn woman's upper lip!

Several people rush into the ring, and Regina won't look at her. Emma finally has enough sense to call 911, but then she sees someone's doing it already.

Regina's face is hard, and she's fighting back tears with all her might, cradling her red-stained lip with her hands. Emma's whispering "sorry, I'm so sorry," like a mantra.

Before she realizes what she's doing, Regina reaches past the people crowding around her trying to staunch the blood, and grasps Emma's hand. The blonde looks stunned for a moment, but then she squeezes once and Regina squeezes back and it feels like everything's going to be ok.

Emma works her way into the ambulance with Regina (not without a little yelling and cursing) and holds Regina's hand on the whole ride to the hospital. Regina still won't look at her but she hasn't let go.

And that's a start back to forgiveness.

* * *

"Hey! How'd it go?" Emma says, relief flooding her face when Regina exits and starts toward her.

"Quite well, instead of stitching it up they used glue," Regina answers stoically. There's a tiny white bandage on her upper lip. Emma's surprised something that was gushing so much blood could be so small.

"Regina, listen, I'm sorry-"

Regina holds up an elegant hand to cut her off.

"I'm not going to say it's alright dear but- I certainly did provoke you," Regina admits grudgingly.

"Yeah but I socked ya pretty good," Emma says, jogging a bit to catch up with Regina who's already headed out of the hospital.

"You socked me pretty well, Ms. Swan," Regina admonishes.

Emma rolls her eyes, "You seem in a pretty chipper mood."

"Painkillers," Regina murmurs in response.

Not the thrill of having this woman around her again.

What was she a masochist?

But Emma didn't mean to punch her that hard.

And she asked for it...

"Regina?"

"Yes?"

"I asked if you wanted me to drive you back to the hotel? We can get a taxi from here back to the studio and..." Emma trails off at the look in Regina's face. She can't quite place it.

"That would be lovely."

* * *

"Two-twenty-two, two-twenty- three, here we are," Emma says, standing back a bit so Regina can open the door. Emma catches sight of the bandage for the forty-billionth time and doesn't want to leave quite yet.

"Can I get you some ice?" Emma says, strutting past a shocked looking Regina into her room.

But the shrewd brunette recovers quickly- as she always does. "Yes, thank you, dear. The machines right down the hall."

Emma scoops up the bucket and salutes to Regina before slipping out the door.

It takes a few seconds before Regina can move. She's never been cared for before. Well- Henry has tried but he's never been much of a help. And Regina believed school was more important than staying home and taking care of an evil queen.

She could do that for herself.

Regina shrugs off her hoodie and drapes it over the chair. She could really use a shower.

But would that make Emma leave?

_It can wait._

Regina hears three soft knocks in quick succession and opens the door to a proud-looking Emma.

"We're going to ice you right up," Emma says, trudging into the bathroom to get a towel to wrap the ice in. _She looks happier with something to do, someone to take care of_, Regina thinks.

Regina sits on the edge of the bed and waits patiently for Emma to occupy the space next to her.

"Here ya go," Emma says tenderly, handing Regina the bundle. Regina nods her thanks and places the ice on her upper lip.

It's quiet for a few minutes, but not an awkward silence, a comfortable one.

Emma acts on impulse, reaching over to grab the hand that is not holding the ice. Regina looks up into her green orbs.

"Don't say it again, Ms. Swan," Regina says, and the words are muffled by the towel.

"Okay. I won't," Emma says with a squeeze of Regina's hand, and her face scrunches.

"What?" Regina mumbles.

"You should call me Emma- now that I've caused you bodily injury..."


End file.
